


To Listen

by Ka5hew



Series: Just The Two Of Us Against The Rest Of The World [3]
Category: Daredevil (Comics), Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: First Kiss, FrattWeek, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:48:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27194662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ka5hew/pseuds/Ka5hew
Summary: Matt returned to Hell’s Kitchen about 2 months before frank did. Despite both of them being in Hell’s Kitchen, their paths didn’t cross for a while. Then, about 2 weeks later, Matt started hearing his voice
Relationships: Frank Castle/Matt Murdock
Series: Just The Two Of Us Against The Rest Of The World [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1694863
Kudos: 42
Collections: Fratt Week





	To Listen

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the final part of my series and I’m so happy to finally finish it! Thanks to everyone who gave kudos and comments, they really helped inspire and motivate me!

Matt returned to Hell’s Kitchen about 2 months before Frank did. He had cleared Frank’s name of any suspicions before he heard about the rapists and murderers showing up dead, indicating that the punisher was back. Despite both of them being in Hell’s Kitchen, their paths didn’t cross for a while. 

After Frank had left him at his apartment, Matt had assumed it was his way of saying that it was all over, that they couldn’t work together because every time they did it ended a mess. And the worst part was that that wasn't wrong, it did always end in a mess, so then why did Matt feel guilty? Why did he miss Frank?   
They were too different, he tried to convince himself. That had been obvious from the start, and Matt had once again been reminded as he had heard the dying heartbeat of Mr Buchanan.   
So then why? 

Then, about 2 weeks later, Matt started hearing his voice. It happened while still he was out patrolling, scanning the city, when he picked up a whispered voice calling his name. It was clearly meant for him as no one else would be able to pick up the whispers of the lone punisher.   
Matt tried to ignore it the first few times, but soon, curiosity got the best of him. One night, he followed the voice to its source. He knew it was frank, how could he not? He couldn’t forget that voice, and he never wanted to. 

He arrived at the graveyard and perched himself on the roof of the church next to it and listened. 

“Y’know, I used to be catholic… well yeah, you know, you asked. Looked so damn ‘cited when you did, heh… Maria was always more religious than me, took me to mass ‘n everythin’. Kids didn’t seem overly fond of it either, but I think they did it to make her happy… I know I did. You would've liked her, Red. She was beautiful, and strong. She was one of the few people who knew me… really knew me. And she loved me anyways.

Sometimes… sometimes I look at myself and think… what the hell would Maria think of me now? And the kids… ‘the punisher’. F*ck that name. I hate it Red. I f*cking hate it. You must hate it too… people calling you the devil. Then again, you run around in devil PJays what d’you expect.”

Matt stayed quiet. This seemed private, and yet Frank was talking to him. Granted, Frank didn’t know Matt was actually there listening, but he must have known Matt would have at least heard some of it.   
After weeks of silence and convincing himself not to go and friend Frank because Frank didn’t need, didn’t want him, and now here he was, the Punisher whispering his regrets, his fears, to the Devil. To Matt. After everything that had happened between the two of them, Matt shouldn’t have felt like he was intruding, and so he was about to go, go back to his apartment and try and forget about all of this, when Frank spoke up again. 

“I didn’t start killin’ cuz my family was killed. I was always killing Red, you gotta understand that. The Marines weren't any different to this, ‘cept here there’s no one telling me what to do, no one but me… and you I guess. But you know I don’t listen to you. Didn’t when we made that deal, ‘s why I’m here now, you're probably off somewhere with those friends of yours. Shouldn’t have ever helped you out, only ended up making things worse. You think everything you touch turns to sh*t. Turns out that’s true for the both of us… but I’d do it again, y’know. Even if it meant you hated me more than you already do.  
I follow my own rules, Red. And you follow yours, I get that now.” 

When Matt got home that night, he didn’t sleep. 

……….

After then, it became a habit, creeping onto that church roof to spend the night listening to Frank.

……….

“I killed a guy today. He was a sh*ithead, raping high schoolers. You’d beat the crap outta him Red. An’ you’d enjoy it. But you wouldn’t finish the job. It had to be done.   
I keep thinking about Lisa; she’d be in high school right now. She looked more like Maria than me, but she had my eyes. She was proud of that. Don’t know why… she could have been one of those kids. Makes me pissed just thinking ‘bout it.   
I would’ve done anything to protect my kids Red. Anything.”

…………

“Billy used to be like family to me. He was good to the kids, good to Maria… i keep tellin’ myself I couldn’t have seen it coming, when he betrayed me, and them, but I should’ve.  
It’s funny… he was such a good marine, and so i guess i expected him to be loyal. Guess I was wrong… you’d make a good marine Red. You’re stubborn, it’s a good thing. And you fight good too.. for a half measure.”

……….

“You’re good, y’know that Red? You’re one of the few good people left in this world. Hell… you’re too good, Red. Maria was good too, she cared. But not like most people, y’know. Most people give you fake smiles and nod along, as if they actually give a sh*t. Maria really cared, and she wasn't scared to show it either. Not many people like that left.   
You’re a lot like her, Red… you care ‘bout this city… ‘bout the people in it, even the sh*t ones like me.   
Makes no sense but ‘s good. You’re good Red.”

……….

“Killed a gang today. Don’t know why I tell you all this. Probably make you hate me more, but i can live with that… you’re one of a kind, Red, don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who could be such a holier than thou asshole but also so… pretty. It’s so f*cking stupid.”

………

A week passed without anything from Frank before Matt started getting worried. He still visited the graveyard, but found it empty on more occasions than he liked. At first, he assumed it was because Frank was just busy, or had given up trying to ‘talk’ to Matt.   
But then, he heard him.

It was Tuesday night and he had a court case the next day, so of course it had to be that night that Frank did something stupid. 

“Red” 

That was all he heard at first. “Red”, over and over again. He wouldn’t have picked it up if he hadn’t heard his name. 

“Matt”

It was the first time he had heard that voice say his name. 

“Matt”

There it was again, and so Matt listened.

“Matt. I hope you can hear me with those senses of yours… i… I’m sorry… not for the killing. I don’t care ‘bout that, but just… for everything else.” 

It went quiet again, and Matt just let the words sink in. Frank had apologised. Why? And then he realised the finality of it, and how unlike Frank it was. Something was wrong. 

Matt focused his hearing onto the heartbeat of the ex-marine, and ran. He followed the thumping until it got louder, and as it did, Matt realised that it had started to slow down. This made Matt’s own heart start beating furiously.   
If Frank was dead…   
Matt brushed off the thought and continued running. At some point his nose had managed to pick up that familiar scent of blood and gunpowder (and sometimes dogs,) that was Frank’s.   
Eventually, he reached an alleyway, and the stench of dead bodies attacked his nose. There were at least four of them, all bleeding out and mauled, and in the middle of them was Frank, now unconscious, blood pouring out of the multiple bullet wounds that donned his body. Matt immediately rushed to his side and heaved him upright as he started to half carry half drag the man. Luckily, Matt’s apartment wasn’t far from where they were.

By the time they got back to the apartment, Frank’s breathing was far too shallow and he had lost a lot of blood. Matt settled him down onto the sofa and raced to get the first aid kit. 

It took a while to clean off all the blood and get Frank’s vest off, but once he had, he got to work sewing up the bullet holes. Luckily most of them had gone clean through and so he didn’t need to spend too long digging bullets out of Frank. 

Matt was used to applying stitches. He had done it for his dad for years, and then himself, but he always hated doing it. Usually because, on the occasions it wasn't him, the person getting stitched up was someone close to Matt.  
He was 4 stitches in when Frank woke up. Matt only noticed because of the change in the man's heart beat. Frank didn’t move at all as he opened his eyes. All he did was look around, a little daze, before realising where he was as he saw Matt. Matt could feel Frank’s eyes on him, though he couldn’t tell what sort of expression was on his face. 

A few more stitches in and Frank spoke up.

“Guess you heard me then,” 

Matt flinched at how weak his voice sounded, and willed himself to focus on getting the stitches done. 

“Yeah”

“You been hearing everythin’ else as well?” Frank asked, and Matt swore he sounded almost nervous.

“... yeah”

“Sh*t.” 

They stayed quiet as Matt finished off the stitches and handed Frank some pain killers. Matt got up to leave, to give Frank some privacy when Frank suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. It was a weak pull, but Matt obliged and sat down on the sofa next to the ex-marine. Frank’s heartbeat had gone from sluggish to nervous and his hands were unusually warm as he spoke. 

“I meant what i said, don’t know how much you heard but-“

“I heard it all Frank.”

“... you did? Why didn’t you-“

“Because I was scared.” 

That made Frank smile, it was a small smile, but Matt could sense it was there, he could hear it in his voice as he replied. 

“Thought you were the man without fear,” he whispered, in the same soft tone that Matt had been listening too over the past few weeks. He felt the whisper in the air around him and he realised how close the two of them actually were. Letting all common sense fly out the window, Matt surged forward to close the small gap left between them as he firmly placed his lips on Frank’s. the other man melted into it immediately, hands on Matt’s hips, gently holding them in place.   
Frank tasted of blood, but Matt was too distracted by the soft lips and the warm hands. Matt’s own hands were cupping Franks face, and he could feel the slight stubble under his palm. For once, the rest of the world faded away and it was just him and Frank. 

It was only when Frank winced in pain as Matt accidentally nudged his injured side that the two of them pulled away, both slightly out of breath. 

“Gotta say, didn’t expect that from you Red, thought I’d just get preached at again.”

“... I thought you were angry at me for weeks”

“And I thought you hated me… guess we were both wrong.”

……...

It started with a rumour, as most things do. The rumour was that the Punisher and Daredevil were living together. Most of it was just gossip, people saying they kept seeing the two of them head in and out of the same building, police claiming they had been working together. Some kids even said they had seen the two of them making out on a rooftop once. It was just rumours, except most of it was true.


End file.
